Circuit-breaker and distributer unit.



W. 0. KENNINGTON' CICUIT BREAKER AND DISTRIBUTER UNIT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I4. I9I6.

1,265,918. Patented May14,1918.

A IFEM. u] IIIIWWMIII lv @5ML-PLM l UNITED STATES PATENroFFIcE;

WILLIAM O. KENN'INGTON, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, .ASSIGNOB T0 REMY ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION 0F INDIANA. v

CIRCUIT-BREAKER AND DISTRIBUTEB UNIT.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Application filed April 14, 1916. Serial No. 91,058.l

-Toallwhomz'tmayconcem: i

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. KEN- NING'roN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Detroit, in the county .of Wayne and State of Michi an, have invented a certain new and use l Improvement in Circuit-Breakers and Distributer Units, of which the following is a full, clear and exact description. Y

This invention relates to ignition apparatus, and particularly to means for mounting and rotating the circuit breaker cam an .distributer segment of a combined circuit breaker and distributer unit, the object of the inventionbeing to provide means where- Vby the cam and distributer` are maintained at al1 times in proper relative vangular pos1-.

of parts which will be described in the speci- 4iication and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein I have shown the preferredvembodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a sectional vview through a circuit breaker and distributer unit, parts being shown in elevation, the section beingtaken substantially yalong the irregular line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 1s a top plan view with the distributer cap removed; and Fig. 3 fis a detail view on a slightly enlarged scale, showing the cam and distributer segment in section and the shaftin elevation. -i

Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents the clrcuit `breaker casing andr 11 the distributer cap which is mounted on the casing and which may ,be secured thereto by any suitable means. Although the particular form and arrangement ofthe contacts yor contact members of the circuit breaker is immaterialto the present invention, I have here shown a construction which includes a breaker plate 12 suitably'supporting a stationary contact 13 adapted to be Vengaged by al Contact carried by al pivoted breaker lever 14 supported by the breaker plate 12.'

Extendinginto the casing 10, through the end 15 of the shaftbeing located just above the threaded portion 15", l

At- 16 is shown a circuit breaker cam which in this case is a four-point cam designed for a four cylinder engine, although it is to be l eater or I less than four, the number depen ing uponA understood, of course, that the number of cam points or projections maybe the number of cylinders of the engine. This cam is provided with af central conical opening which fits onto the tapered or conical portion 15a of the shaft 15, and it issecurely clamped thereto by a nut 17 engaging the threaded] portion 15b `of the shaft. In this manner lthe cam is held torthe shaft without any danger of slipping, and at the same time the cam can be accurately adjusted and i then permanently positioned relative to thel drive shaft and the parts of the engine.

Above the cam is a distributer segment 18 which, in accordance with another feature of my invention, is positively driven by the cam. This segment is provided with a socket containing a metal cup-shaped bushing 18a which receives with a close' but not necessarily driving fit the cylindrical end portion 15c of the shaft 15. The segment is positively driven by the cam through the medium of a pin '19 which is fixed to and pro- "jects upfrom the cam and extends or enters into a suitable socket or opening provided in the segment. The segment has'sli connections with both the ends of the sha and the pin, so that it can be removed when desired. l

Afterthe apparatus ylrifas been attached tov the engine the proper time of break and the connection of the distributer to the proper y' cylinder are obtainedlby loosening `the nut and cam andv by turning the caminto the The distributer segment 1s 5 When the cam is in the lproper position, the

nut will betightened, whereupon 'the cam is permanentlysecured in its'v proper position.

`. By having the distributer' positively associated with and driven by the cani any variau 'tion inl position of the cam relative to the driving shaft which may be made when adfjusting the apparatus to the engine, produces a corresponding variation of the .dis-

Y tributer segment. In consequence the' interi,

15 rupter and distributer lare thus l' g synchronized with each other.

properly The cani is preferably lmade' stock of polygonal cross-section, either squared,

similar machine'and roun of the In. thismanner a cam of 4suitable contour t is produced very cheaply. Y`

composed of'a body 18b ofinsulating material such as bakelite, on the .up er art vor Vsurface of which is secured a distributing strip or late 18e of good conducting mate- 'an giaiha gone end-extenda beyond' the' lnSulatin body 18b and adap to rotate in the 'usua .manner in proinmity to a lurality'f stationary distributor termina s, one

of which is shown at 18d. Theplate or strip 85 18 carries a'yeldable contact member 18v which is adapted to engage the central fer- 'minal 18t of the distributen Additionally, the segment here shown .is provided with-- a vsafety Ispark gap feature.

l 46 This gap is formed between two points, one on the upper strip or plate 18 and the otherV at one end'18h of a plate 18j molded in the lower part of the` segment and on the shaft. Of course, this spark gapIdoes not .normally carry sparks butA should the.

secondary circuit to one or more lof the sparkplugs become disconnected, thmspark will jump across this gap, thereby relieving the coil whichisassociated witlithe dis-v -50 tributer of excessive electricalstress.

f`It is tube-understood, homirever,f that the cam may be formed by some other process than explained abovei and the details of construction of the segment may be other than here shown,the 'most important or essential features of the resent invention fthe means de'scri or equivalent means for holding'orsecurmg the cam on the shaft and the relative .arrangement of the 4cam and tf segment and manner ofmoun "anddrivinhe latter. mg

ving thusdescribed my invention', what one of ythe cam, axiall in any angularly Yadjusted hexagonal, octagonal or in any .sha de 29 pending upon lthe number of cylindrs of the engine, by p lacing'the stock a'lathe-for` preferably tributer segment having a rigid driving conunit, a cam for controlling the saine, avshaftv .down into firm union with its seat,'a dis- 1. In a circuit breaker, a pair ofI relatively 'a eey spa 65 movable contacts, a cam for spect to the shaft and thensecured thereto lin any adjusted position.

2. In a circuit ubreaker anddistribter 1 unit, a pair of relatively'movable contacts, a camv for operating the saine,` a rotary shaft carrying and supportingthe cam, and hav; ing a conical portlon constituting a Seat for movable means engaging the shaft and a ptedto force the cam down -tion it may occupy y upon itscomcab seat, anda distributor segment ada ted to be rotated Awith the cam in? fix angulary relation thereto.

' 3. In a circuit breaker and 'distributer unit, a pair of relatively movable contacts, a cam. for operating or controlling the same, a rotary shaft carrying the same and ha a conical portion constitutinga seatfor t e o same'. Means forforcing the cam in any an- .gular position-it may occupy with i to the shaft upon its conical seat, and a disnectionwith the cam.- A 4.-.In a circuit breaker and distributor unit, a' pair'of relatively movable controlling contacts, aeam for operatnfg the '10c saine, a 'shaft having a conical portion o v ingra' seat for the same, a nutengaging with v the shaft'above the conical cam seat adapted i to force thdcamdo'wnfupon its seat, and a 1 distributer segment having a socket to re 105 ceive the\endv of the shaft, saidcam being rigidly connected with the segment whereby said segment is driven bythe cam.

5. In 'a circuit breaker and distributor' having `a conical portion forming a s eat thereon for said cam. and a threaded portion adjaeent'theconicalseat, anut engaging the threaded portion forforcing the cam tributer segment having a socket'for the end ofthe shaft and a driving pin betweenfthe cam and the segment' and constituting the means by which the cam rotates the segment.

,6. In a` distributor, a casing having a cen- 120 tral terminal, a shaft' pro]ecting' into the casing, a distributer segment mounted on the shaft, a conducting platecarried bythe segment and electrically connected to the centi-a1 terminal, a second plate carried by 125 the segment and grounded on the shaft, ysaid plates having a/pair of points constituting p. 7. `In a distri uter, a a centrallyv tenninal',

a `distributor seg-4 1:20

ment lcomprising a body of insulatin matev` disposed portions constituting a safety.

rial mounted on .the shaft and provided onl spark gap. A 1D' opposite sides with two plates, one of said In testimony whereof, I hereunto ax my plates being insulated from the shaft and-v signature in the presence of two witnesses.. electrically connected to the central termi- WILLIAM `O. KENl\TI].\TGr'1`O1`` shaft` andl spaced from the first named F. P. MGDERMOTL, Jr.

plate, said plates having-a pair of oppositely l A. E. BERnoN.

nal, the other plate being grounded on the Witnesses: 

